Indiana Football Wide Receiver D.J. Matthews' Kids Plus Tom Allen Spark Motivation for Return
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana football wide receiver D.J. Matthews Jr. knew he was done. The pop, the inability to walk it off and the devastation are all what comes with a torn ACL, and that's exactly what happened last season.
"I never watched the play again," Matthews said in this week's press conference. "I just remember dropping the punt and telling myself 'get down on it.' When I was down there, I was like 'ugh, my knee.' I was trying to get up, but I knew ASAP it was a feeling I've never felt before."
His left ACL was shot in week four of the season at Western Kentucky, one of two games the Hoosiers won in the 2021 season.
Then came the tough part: surgery recovery and deciding whether or not to return to Indiana for Matthews' fifth season of college football.
Sep 18, 2021; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver D.J. Matthews Jr. (7) runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown against Cincinnati Bearcats cornerback Arquon Bush (9) during the second half at Memorial Stadium. Bearcats won 38-24.
© Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
"That's probably the first time I ever had my heart broken," Matthews said.
Originally from Jacksonville, Fla., Matthews played at Florida State for three seasons before taking time off of football in the 2020 season.
While wearing a Seminoles jersey, Matthews had a career average of 10.4 yards per punt return ranking 10th in school history with 582 punt return yards with 56 punt returns.
Matthews will again get a chance to relive that glory as he returns to the field all thanks to his kids Seyvnn and baby D.J. and head coach Tom Allen for serving as motivation.
"Seyvnn's doing great," Matthews, who wears the No. 7 jersey, said. "She's getting bigger. Terrible two age, so she's running Daddy crazy, and she's really my biggest motivation."
After his surgery last season, the toddler sat in bed with her dad and placed her little hand on his knee.
"'Daddy, you okay?' just rubbing my knee," Matthews said of his daughter. "I was like 'baby, that hurt, you can't do that right now.'"
Matthews said his kids knew he was off since he wasn't smiling all the time like usual. He entered a bit of a depressive state as an athlete would when they know a long recovery journey is ahead of them.
Sep 11, 2021; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver D.J. Matthews Jr. (7) runs the ball to the end zone on a kickoff against the Idaho Vandals during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium.
© Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports
Matthews' family pulled him out of his sadness, he said. Seyvnn would even run around the halls holding her dad's football bringing Matthews to tears.
"At times I would cry and be like, 'wow she really knows what her dad does,'" he said.
Meanwhile, Coach Tom Allen was also serving as motivation for his player, talking next steps with Matthews.
"I knew he was struggling especially in that time when the season was over and we're out recruiting, and he's still having post-surgery, not far removed from that," Allen said.
On top of that, the football staff was in the midst of hiring new offensive coordinator Walt Bell and other position coaches. The unknown degree of an injury plus an evolving offense after a rough Indiana season was enough to spark some doubt.
"It was a tough decision," Matthews said. "I was telling my parents that pretty much I was done, but the relationship I built with Coach Allen is very strong, and he just helped me through my whole process. With religion, he made sure I was a man of God and a man of my word and then on top of that, my children.
"I never want to quit. My children look up to me. I’m their hero, so when they get older, they’re going to see the trials and tribulations that their dad went through and all of the adversity that I faced. I don’t ever want them to see that I quit anything. Finish out no matter the outcome."
Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver D.J. Matthews Jr. (7) leaps to catch a pass under pressure from Cincinnati Bearcats safety Ja'von Hicks (3) in the second quarter of the NCAA football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Cincinnati Bearcats at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind., on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021.
© Sam Greene/The Enquirer via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Allen said him and Matthews spend a lot of time together one on one and are very close. So far, Matthews is practicing well and is keeping his reps right where they need to be in fall camp.
Matthews said he's had some sore days that were mentally tough for him, but this week was the first time he physically felt like himself again.
"I came out and I felt really great," he said. "I was still battling out of a slump early in fall camp, so, just telling my teammates continually ‘I’m trying to get back, you know, I’m trying to get back. I’m trying to get back to myself. I want to feel better.’"
Re-developing physically is one thing, but Matthews has also been tapped as one of the leaders in the wide receiver room, a challenge Allen said he's responded to well.
"I’m not the type of guy to be yelling at people or trying to make sure everybody is doing everything right," Matthews said. "If I see something, I’ll point it out. If people have questions, I help them. Not all the time do I know the answers, so they help me too."
With the season opener approaching on Sep. 2 versus Illinois, Matthews has plenty of people to back him up as he returns to the game he loves for a fresh start — his family including his mini supporters Seyvnn and D.J. and his beloved coach.
"I wanted him to be here because he wanted to be here, and his heart told him that this is where he's supposed to be," Allen said.
Indiana's D.J. Matthews Jr. (7) stretches during practice at Indiana University on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022.
© Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
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